IP 1: Educational Usability

Usability refers to “a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. The word “usability” also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process” (Nielsen 2003). It sets a basic standard and guideline to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction when design a HCI tool.

HCI stands for “Human Computer Interaction”. HCI sees evolvement – refer to HCI past and now graph below, and focus on the interaction with and through the technology employed while for the ultimate purpose to support human beings in a more efficient, effective, and satisfying user-experience way.

Based on the Issa and Isaias (2015) chapter on HCI and Usability, HCI assist designers and users to identify the system needs while usability confirms if the system is efficient, effective, accessible, safe, easy to pick up and memorize, practical and provide satisfying experience to the end users. 10 aspects of factors and 7 criteria as good usability is analyzed.

 

By further analyze the 7 criteria provided in the Issa and Isaias (2015) and search for a practical example for better understanding, the usability analysis in is general but not much focus on educational context, which gives us discussion space.

 

From educational perspective, Educational usability, thus can be reasonably deducted as the effectiveness of students / learners to get access to the knowledge, the learnability of information provided for students to self-taught and implement, the flexibility to use different media and system for human computer interaction, robustness of the system or learning tool designed to provide immediate support and track progress for learners, the easiness for users come up with error during implementation, the easiness to memorize knowledge and skills learned without repeatedly go through the whole learning process again and overall level of joy for using the learning application.

 

In Woolgar’s study of usability trials (Steve Woolgar, Configuring the User: The Case of Usability Trials, 1990, page 58-99), it points out the interesting observations that provide a count of “usability gone wrong” – how user configuration can lead to the discount of usability:

The usage or quotation of the text. Writers invite readers to quote his content yet meanwhile alert and emphasize for per-permission before quotation.

The role of Abstract. Abstract aims to form a closer relationship between reader and the text but debatably, limit readers’ own critical thinking by constraint on how they can use it. After all, Abstract is produced by writer, as a summary of his key points, which re-emphasize the points writers want readers to understand, acknowledge and agree.

 

Configuration is originated as a basic concept in computer science space where in computers and computer networks, a configuration often refers to the specific hardware and software details in terms of devices attached, capacity or capability and exactly what the system is made up of. (https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/configuration#:~:text=1)%20In%20computers%20and%20computer,often%20means%20the%20network%20topology.) It is the manner in which components are arranged to make up the computer system. User configuration allows the system designed to define users who are accessible the system. For system and learning tool design, it sets the target audience that aims at and makes system more pertinent for specific problems they aim to tackle.

 

On the other hand, the usability trial further analyze if the expected result can be achieved by user configuring process. By configuring users, designers can do back testing more effectively and further analyze different group of learners (previous education background, financial background, parental impact, geography, religion background, gender, age etc) could make a difference in testing result thus further test the usability of the learning tool designed.

"…the usability evaluation stage is an effective method by which a software development team can establish the positive and negative aspects of its prototype releases, and make the required changes before the system is delivered to the target users"  (Issa & Isaias, 2015, p. 29).

“…the design and production of a new entity…amounts to a process of configuring its user, where 'configuring' includes defining the identity of putative users, and setting constraints upon their likely future actions” (Woolgar, 1990).

 

The two excerpts discussed two angles for the implementation of usability. First excerpt discusses the function and purpose of usability evaluation stage while second excerpt emphasizes on putting a constraint / set a boundary based on potential users’ configuration and focus on the dynamic process of continuous user configuration which helps re-shape the prototype. They complement each other and together complete the concept of usability.

 

In conclusion, putting usability in educational context, could mean the valuation standard and goal which demonstrates the effectiveness to establish a pedagogy prototype and test by learner configuration.